Bursting onto the scene with the tense crunch of post-hardcore guitars and singer Bert McCracken's piercing shriek in the early aughts, The Used were stalwarts of the "screamo" sub-genre, drawing comparisons to contemporaries in Thursday, Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance. Always a formidable live act, The Used are as closely aligned with the hard rock acts of the 80s as they are with their post-hardcore brethren, with vocalist McCracken lending his plaintive howl to his bandmates' razor-sharp maelstrom and a full battery of strobe lights. Their latest full-length album Vulnerable featured more overly theatrical flourishes and led with the single "I Come Alive." They supported the album with the Vulnerable Tour 2012 and reissued the album as a two-disc set that included B-sides and rarities, called Vulnerable (II) in March 2013.

The Used are unlikely exports of Orem, Utah, a place not known for hard rock. That didn't stop guitarist Quinn Allman, bassist Jepth Howard, drummer Branden Steineckert and McCracken from playing the local clubs before touring to support their 2002 self-titled debut. Their reputation as a live act saw them punch their ticket for coveted spots on the Warped Tour and Ozzfest. 2004's In Love and Death, which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Top 200, announced their arrival to the big leagues, spawning singles, "Take it Away," "All That I've Got" and "I Caught Fire." In 2006, the band replaced longtime drummer Branden Steineckert with Dan Whiteside and released their fifth album Vulnerable through their own label, Dental Records. The band embarked on a series of concerts to support the album that summer. The Used released an EP of new material titled The Ocean of the Sky the following summer. Currently, the band is rumored to be going on tour in 2014, but no official announcements have been made.

The Used are touring on the Rockstar Energy Drink DISRUPT Festival in 2019. The touring festival features unique lineups in each city, including The Used, Thrice, Circa Survive, Sum 41, The Story So Far, Atreyu, Sleeping With Sirens, Andy Black, and more.